I'm Daryl, and I'm hoping to finally begin to pursue my fitness goals. I first starting working out when I was 18, but I never managed to maintain a routine. Now three months away from turning 24, I'm still considering myself a beginner in regards to exercise. I currently stand at 5'9", 138 pounds, and about 11% body fat. My goal is to weigh 175 pounds with 8% body fat or lower.

My diet has been especially healthy over the last year or so, as I've become a vegan, but I'm lacking muscle mass. I've come to this forum to ask for advice on how to meet my expectations in my current situation. I'm currently attending college full time, and that's not going to change in the foreseeable future, so funding this routine is a concern of mine. I know that I'll need to purchase a lot more food and protein supplements if I expect to see a major difference in my physique.

Nice to see you on here Daryl, I'm sure you'll settle in quickly and get to know the regulars that post on here. We're a friendly bunch so feel free to browse through the different sections of the forum; generally the more you post the more feedback you will generate. A good starting point is probably to take a look through some of the training logs that are active and leave a few comments in the ones that interest you.

Good luck with your goals, I'm a similar weight to you as I'm only about 140. All the best MF.

Hi Daryl, welcome to the community. I was also say you dont need the protein supplements to go vegan and bulk up. They can be helpful though. Vega is my personal favorite for taste and for the ingredients it contains.